Brainerd, Minnesota Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Population: 13,178. Estimated population in July 2024: 13,684 (+3.8% change)
Males: 6,057 (46.0%), Females: 7,121 (54.0%)

Crow Wing County

Zip code: 56401

Demographics

Median resident age: 32.8 years
Median household income: $26,901
Median house value: $70,800

Population by Race

Races in Brainerd:

  • White Non-Hispanic (95.4%)
  • American Indian (2.1%)
  • Two or more races (1.3%)
  • Hispanic (0.9%)
  • Black (0.7%)

Ancestries: German (32.9%), Norwegian (16.6%), Irish (10.5%), Swedish (10.1%), English (7.0%), Polish (5.1%).

Elevation: 1210 feet

Land area: 8.0 square miles

Map of Brainerd, MN

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Brainerd

  • High school or higher: 83.7%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.1%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 4.5%
  • Unemployed: 7.2%
  • Mean travel time to work: 15.8 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Brainerd city

  • Never married: 28.5%
  • Now married: 44.9%
  • Separated: 1.1%
  • Widowed: 11.9%
  • Divorced: 13.5%

1.6% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +340 (+2.6%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Brainerd:

  • BRAINERD REGIONAL HUMAN SERVICES CTR (11800 STATE HIGHWAY 18)
  • MINNESOTA NEUROREHABILITATION HOSPITAL (1777 HIGHWAY 18)
  • ST JOSEPHS MEDICAL CENTER (523 NORTH 3RD STREET)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Brainerd:

  • BRAINERD LAKES RGNL (about 5 miles; BRAINERD, MN; Abbreviation: BRD)
  • ST CLOUD REGIONAL (about 58 miles; ST CLOUD, MN; Abbreviation: STC)
  • GRAND RAPIDS/ITASCA CO-GORDON NEWSTROM FLD (about 76 miles; GRAND RAPIDS, MN; Abbreviation: GPZ)

Other public-use airports nearest to Brainerd:

  • EAST GULL LAKE (about 11 miles; EAST GULL LAKE, MN; Abbreviation: 9Y2)
  • MAL’S/SERPENT LAKE/ (about 21 miles; DEERWOOD, MN; Abbreviation: M14)
  • RAY S MILLER AAF (NG) (about 22 miles; CAMP RIPLEY, MN; Abbreviation: RYM)

Colleges and Universities

College/University in Brainerd:

  • CENTRAL LAKES COLLEGE-BRAINERD (Full-time enrollment: 2,364; Location: 501 W COLLEGE DR; Public; Website: WWW.CLC.MNSCU.EDU)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Brainerd:

  • SAINT CLOUD TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 55 miles; ST CLOUD, MN; Full-time enrollment: 2,183)
  • SAINT CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY (about 58 miles; ST CLOUD, MN; Full-time enrollment: 12,913)
  • NORTHWEST TECHNICAL COLLEGE-BEMIDJI (about 92 miles; BEMIDJI, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,761)
  • BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY (about 92 miles; BEMIDJI, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,562)
  • ANOKA-RAMSEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 102 miles; COON RAPIDS, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,627)
  • HENNEPIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 103 miles; BROOKLYN PARK, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,138)
  • NORTH HENNEPIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 103 miles; BROOKLYN PARK, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,097)

Schools

Public high school in Brainerd:

  • CENTRAL MN REGIONAL DETENTION CNTR (Students: 18; Location: 1777 HWY 18 E.; Grades: 08 – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Brainerd:

  • BRAINERD SR. (Students: 1,595; Location: 702 S. 5TH ST.; Grades: 05 – 12)
  • FRANKLIN JR. (Students: 888; Location: 1001 KINGWOOD; Grades: 08 – 09)
  • WASHINGTON MID. (Students: 818; Location: 804 OAK ST.; Grades: 06 – 07)
  • RIVERSIDE EL. (Students: 606; Location: 220 NW 3RD ST.; Grades: PK – 05)
  • MISSISSIPPI HORIZONS MID. (Students: 569; Location: 400 QUINCE ST.; Grades: 06 – 09)
  • GARFIELD EL. (Students: 423; Location: 1120 10TH AVE. N.E.; Grades: PK – 05)
  • LOWELL EL. (Students: 379; Location: 704 NE 3RD AVE.; Grades: KG – 05)
  • HARRISON EL. (Students: 272; Location: 1515 OAK ST.; Grades: KG – 05)
  • LINCOLN EL. (Students: 269; Location: 604 S. 6TH ST.; Grades: KG – 05)
  • ISD 181 LEARNING CENTER (Students: 234; Location: 311 10TH AVE. N.E.; Grades: 06 – 12)

Private primary/middle schools in Brainerd:

  • ST FRANCIS OF ASSISSI SCHOOL (Students: 230; Location: 817 JUNIPER STREET; Grades: PK – 7)
  • BRAINERD SDA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 9; Location: 2822 EAST OAK ST PO BOX 491; Grades: 1 – 9)